The Lipman Family Foundation Inc

NEW YORK, NY EIN: 13-6066963

The Lipman Family Foundation Inc is a private family foundation established in 1959 and granted tax-exempt status in October 1960. Based in New York, NY, the foundation operates as a trustee-directed grantmaking organization with total assets exceeding $54 million. The foundation distributes approximately $2.5 million annually across a range of charitable organizations, with a particular emphasis on art museums, scientific research, educational institutions, conservation organizations, human services, and philanthropic initiatives.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$54.3M

+11.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$2.5M

+0.9% YoY

Grant Count

73

+12.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$35K

-10.1% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, its grantmaking priorities include:

  • Arts & Culture: Support for art museums and contemporary art initiatives
  • Education: General education and science education programs
  • Youth Education: Community development and educational enrichment
  • Scientific Research: Fostering curiosity through science
  • Conservation: Environmental protection and preservation efforts
  • Philanthropy & Voluntarism: Support for grantmaking organizations and philanthropic infrastructure
  • Human Services: Various charitable contributions to public charities
  • Civic Engagement: Community development initiatives

The foundation is particularly known for its support of contemporary art, having established the Lipman Acquisitions Endowment at the San Jose Museum of Art to expand the museum's collection of modern and contemporary works.

Grantmaking

The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grantmaking is trustee-directed with no fixed deadlines or application cycles—grants are awarded throughout the year to preselected organizations.

Grant Range

& Activity:**

Average Grant

amounts vary by program area, ranging from $500 to $65,295

Review Cycle

or application cycles—grants are awarded throughout the year to preselected organizations.

How to Apply

**

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grantmaking is national in scope, with primary concentration in California, New York, and Washington, DC.

Grant Distribution by State

15states
+7 more states

Cities

AtlantaBasaltBellinghamBerkeleyBoulderCaptain CookCharlotteColumbusDavisDecaturDes MoinesEast Palo AltoFairfieldGlen EllenHonoluluLafayetteLittle RockLittletonLos AltosLos Angeles

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Most Recent Financial Data (2024-2025):

  • Total Assets: $48.9 million to $54.3 million
  • Total Annual Giving: $2.5 million
  • Total Revenue: $3.7 million
  • Total Expenses: $2.9 million
  • Number of Employees: 0
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$5M$7M$9M20202021202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$54,340,086$48,890,935$48,177,949
Revenue$8,479,749$3,737,145$193,006
Expenses$3,030,598$2,877,867$5,131,496
Qualifying Distributions$2,537,648$2,513,510$4,821,298
Net Investment Income$8,122,352$3,372,277$188,599
Distributable Amount$3,158,948$2,972,473$2,824,635

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$4M$5M63 grants202061 grants202168 grants202365 grants202473 grants2025

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

MONTALVO$295KSHREM MUSEUM OF ART AT U…$210KGSA FOUNDATION$200KJOHN MUIR LAND TRUST$100KFOR-SITE FOUNDATION$50KNM BUREAU GEOLOGY & MINE…$35KPENINSULA OPEN SPACE TRUST$30KCALIFORNIA TRANSPORTATIO…$25KKQED$25KENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND$20K

Grant Size Distribution

250 grants across all recorded years

229<$50K8$50–100K8$100–250K2$250–500K3$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for .

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

  • Beverly S. Lipman – President (7 hours/week)
  • Peter W. Lipman – Vice President (5 hours/week)
  • Timothy E. Lipman – Treasurer (1 hour/week)
  • Benjamin H. Lipman – Secretary (1 hour/week)
  • Susan Shaheen – Director

The foundation represents multi-generational family commitment to philanthropy, with leadership composed primarily of family members.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

From 2025 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
SUSAN SHAHEENDIRECTOR
BEVERLY S LIPMANPRESIDENT7
PETER W LIPMANVICE PRESIDENT5
TIMOTHY E LIPMANTREASURER1
BENJAMIN H LIPMANSECRETARY1

Contact Information

Address: c/o Lester Greenberg 1350 Broadway New York, NY 10018

Phone: (650) 269-5295

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or published contact information for grant inquiries. Unsolicited funding requests are not accepted.

Related Funders

Similar funders by location and focus area

Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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